There are a number sanding devices available for a user to sand or work a contoured surface. One simple sanding device that can be used to sand a contoured surface includes a body with at least one deformable member that supports a segment of sandpaper. When the user presses this sanding device onto the contoured surface, the deformable member deforms to approximate the shape of the contoured surface as the device is moved over the surface. One problem with manual contour sanders that use a deformable member is that it is difficult to ensure even pressure across the sanding surface because the contoured surface will compress different portions of the deformable member more than other portions. Another problem with manual contour sanders generally is that the user may become fatigued if the contoured surface extends for a considerable length. For example, the profile in a wall molding in a room of a typical residential home may have a height that extends for only a few inches, but the length of the profile along sequential moldings on multiple walls in the room may extend for fifty feet or more.
Many types of power tools have been adapted to facilitate sanding of different types of surfaces. For example, belt sanders and orbital sanders are common power sanding devices used in various industries for sanding surfaces. An oscillating power tool is another type of power tool that is well adapted for sanding. An oscillating power tool generally includes a motor and a driving shaft driven by the motor. The driving shaft moves in an oscillatory manner. A working tool with a sanding edge can be attached to the driving shaft and can move with the driving shaft to sand a workpiece surface. Oscillating power tools work well for sanding since they are not too aggressive and are generally able to sand small details in the surface due to the small stroke of the working tool.
Some existing oscillating power tools offer multiple tool attachments for sanding contoured surfaces. These tool attachments generally have generic shape profiles pre-formed into the respective working edges of the tool attachments to facilitate sanding the contoured surface. In some cases, the tool attachments are used directly on the contoured surface. In other cases, the tool attachment supports a segment of sandpaper that moved over the contoured surface. In order to sand an existing contour in a surface, the user selects the tool attachment with a shape profile that most closely approximates the shape of the surface and then sands the surface with the selected tool attachment secured to the oscillating tool. One issue with selecting a tool attachment with a generic shape profile is that the tool attachment rarely matches the actual profile of the surface. When the user sands the surface with a tool attachment profile that does not match the surface contour, the sanding damages the surface and/or multiple passes are required to achieve the desired profile in the surface. Another issue with the sander attachments of existing oscillating power tools is that a significant number of individual attachments are needed to cover the wide variety of shapes and sizes of surface contours.
What is needed, therefore, is an accessory for a power tool that enables the user to quickly adjust a profile of the accessory to match the contour of a surface to be worked.